On February 11, 2025, AdsWizz Audio Days Milan brought together brands, agencies, and media professionals to explore the rapidly evolving world of digital audio advertising. Featuring market-shaping data, bold discussions, and real-world case studies, the event served as a launchpad for the future of digital audio.

If you missed out, don’t worry. We’ve got all the highlights right here!

State of the Union

 

Digital Audio Market Trends

Italy is emerging as a European leader in digital audio consumption and its fast-growing digital audio market presents a massive opportunity for brands to connect with highly engaged audiences. Andrea Lamperti, Senior Advisor at Osservatorio Internet Media, and Francesco Paolo Tarallo, Head of Partnerships and Business Development at Mediamond, took the stage to explore the key trends driving this rapid shift.

• Podcast listening has surged, with more brands investing in original podcast content to drive engagement.
• AI-driven ad personalization is making audio campaigns more precise than ever.
• With third-party data disappearing, privacy-focused targeting is becoming essential.

How Digital Audio Supercharges Multichannel Marketing

Brands that overlook audio in their marketing strategies risk losing engagement and conversions. Modern marketing isn’t about choosing between channels—it’s about seamless integration for a connected customer experience.

Moderated by Giuseppe Accardo, Senior Sales Manager at AdsWizz, this panel explored how digital audio enhances multichannel strategies, making campaigns more engaging and data-driven. The discussion reinforced that audio is no longer a standalone medium—when integrated effectively, it amplifies a brand’s entire marketing mix.

Paolo Artioli, Head of Audio at Dentsu; Sebastiano Vissani, Head of Digital Audio at OMD; and Riccardo Tacchetto, Digital Project & Campaign Manager at Officina.Tech then shared insights on how brands can leverage audio alongside other digital channels to improve engagement and maximize advertising impact.

• Digital audio boosts brand recall and engagement when paired with video, social, and display.
• Programmatic audio is unlocking hyper-targeted, personalized ad experiences.
• First-party data is now a critical asset for brands looking to maximize ad effectiveness.

Digital Audio Innovation in Action: Corona’s Game-Changing Audio Campaign

Nothing showcases the power of digital audio better than real-world success stories. AdsWizz’s Giuseppe Accardo and Nelsi Xhemalaj, Campaign Manager, Tangoo Media, took the audience through Corona’s groundbreaking campaign, which used geo-targeted audio ads to deliver real-time surf reports. 

The session demonstrated how dynamic creative optimization (DCO) is transforming personalized advertising, proving that well-timed, data-driven audio ads can create hyper-personalized experiences that deeply resonate with audiences.

• 751,000 real-time surf reports turned into engaging ad experiences.
• Geo-targeting ensured ads reached only listeners within 15km of key beaches.
• A 2% increase in brand relevance showed the power of contextually relevant, dynamic creative.

The Optimal Use of Data and Targeting: Smarter Ads, Better Engagement

As consumer expectations evolve, brands that ignore data-driven audio advertising risk falling behind. With AI and first-party data shaping the future of marketing, those who adapt now will gain a critical edge. In an era of advertising saturation, precision targeting, and real-time personalization are essential to breaking through the noise. 

Moderated by Alexandre Obino, Senior Director of Client Strategy at AdsWizz, this session explored how AI-driven insights and audience segmentation are transforming ad relevance in digital audio. Francesco Paolo Tarallo, Head of Digital Marketing at Mediamond; Christina Pianura, CEO of Audioboost; and Fabio Rastelli, Head of Digital Audio at Teamradio shared their expertise on how brands can leverage data to maximize ad effectiveness and audience engagement.

• Real-time personalization is creating audio ads that feel natural and relevant.
• Behavioral and contextual targeting are driving stronger engagement and performance.
• Voice-activated ads are paving the way for interactive, hands-free brand engagement.

Digital Evolution Between Podcasts and New Audio Ecosystems

Podcasts provide authentic, long-form engagement, making them a powerful tool in an era of fragmented attention. No longer just another media format, they have become a cornerstone of modern marketing. Fausto Amorese, Director of Marketing at Radio24, shared the latest data on podcast growth and offered insights on how brands can harness this rapidly expanding medium to build deeper connections with their audiences.

• 620+ podcasts are created every month, according to Radio 24 podcasts available on its website, app, and major on-demand platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
• 8.5 million monthly listening sessions show sustained engagement, based on a combination of websites, apps, and third-party platforms.
• 19 million+ monthly audio ad impressions prove brands are doubling down on podcast ads.

Measuring Audio’s Real Impact: Brand Lift & Attribution

With advanced attribution tools, brands can now track engagement, conversions, and overall campaign performance with unprecedented precision. Measuring the impact of audio ads has long been a challenge, but innovations in attribution are changing that. AdsWizz’s Giuseppe Accardo and Alexandre Obino showcased how brands like Mazda and Kraken are leveraging AudioPixel and Veritonic to measure campaign effectiveness and prove ROI.

• Mazda’s campaign increased website visits by 293%.
• Kraken’s podcast ads boosted brand awareness by 17%.

Navigating the Sonic Identity Space

Privacy regulations are constantly evolving, requiring the industry to push beyond its comfort zone to stay innovative. Moderated by Morgane Peron, Director of Audience Data Operations at AdsWizz, this panel explored how organizations address privacy, compliance, and industry-wide collaboration to provide customer-centric solutions for publishers, buyers, and demand-side platforms. The discussion highlighted the importance of leveraging technology partners for streamlined compliance.

The panel featured Leone Fossati, Head of Solutions at UTIQ; Francesca Gabaglio, Addressable Strategy and Audience Lead at Kinesso; Davide Rosamilia, Vice President of Product at ID5; and Tommaso Scudiero, Lead Associate Account Director at The Trade Desk. Together, the group led an engaging conversation on privacy, technology, and omnichannel strategies for reaching audiences across multiple devices.

• Continued collaboration in the industry will be key to providing advanced strategies with 100% compliance to allow various partners (publishers, buyers, demand side) to achieve their goals.
• As audiences continue to engage in multiple ways across multiple devices, fully compliant, unified strategies are necessary to reach larger audiences across different channels and target at scale.
• First-party data is more important than ever. We need to create and maintain an environment that makes data transmission a seamless, fully compliant, and efficient experience on all sides.

Reflecting on AdsWizz Audio Days Milan 2025

AdsWizz Audio Days Milan 2025 showcased just how fast digital audio is evolving—and the opportunities it’s creating for brands, agencies, and publishers alike. From DCO to data identity solutions and podcast storytelling, one thing is clear: Audio is no longer just a supporting player in marketing—it’s leading the conversation. The future of audio is now—are you listening?

A huge thank you to all the speakers, panelists, and attendees who made AdsWizz Audio Days Milan 2025 an unforgettable experience.

by Aimi Knowling, Senior Manager, Sales Marketing

What’s Next?

• Want to dive deeper into AdsWizz Audio Days Milan 2025? Check out the presentation slides here.
• Looking to take your audio strategy to the next level? Reach out today and see how our platforms can enhance your campaigns!
• Stay tuned for upcoming events, content, and innovations from AdsWizz. Don’t forget to sign up for Frequency, our monthly newsletter. 
• Did you know we released a new industry report? Download The State of Audio Adech Report 2025.

The post AdsWizz Audio Days Milan 2025 Recap appeared first on AdsWizz.

Through a series of engaging panels and dynamic discussions, attendees walked away armed with fresh insights on how to supercharge campaign performance and expand their media strategies.

So, let’s break down each panel discussion and the must-know takeaways that are set to redefine the future of digital audio.

Opening Remarks to Set the Stage for Digital Audio’s Future

Speaker: Ollie Chadwick, AdsWizz, Regional Director, UK & Ireland, AdsWizz

The day began with a welcome from Ollie Chadwick, who outlined AdsWizz’s evolution and its role in shaping the digital audio landscape. He highlighted the steady rise of digital audio adoption in the UK and emphasized the growing importance of programmatic audio, noting its ability to reach audiences more effectively and cost-efficiently compared to traditional media.

Panel 1: Innovation and Testing in Audio

Moderator: Rowan Hamill, UK & Ireland, AdsWizz

• Wayne Bishop, Global Client Lead, Unilever
• Ridhi Jogia, Director AV Implementation, Essence Mediacom
• Alice Baines, Media Planning Business Director, OMD

The first panel, led by Rowan Hamill, examined how innovation is driving digital audio forward. The panelists highlighted the underutilized potential of programmatic audio, noting that despite strong engagement, it still receives limited marketing investment due to budget constraints.

• An underserved market opportunity: Even with digital audio’s rapid growth, brands continue to allocate less investment to it compared to video or social media. This session underscored the opportunity to gain market share by positioning audio as a key medium.
• Barriers to experimentation: Panelists pointed out that rigid budget structures limit opportunities for audio testing. They stressed that greater agency support and education could empower brands to invest confidently in innovative audio strategies.

Panel 2: Beyond Branding for Campaigns

Moderator: Lindsay Lynch, Director of Business Development, International, AdsWizz

• Brandon Lutz, Head of Offline & New Media, Miro 
• Andy Goldsmith, CEO, Adelicious
• Kat Bean, Head of Media, Wake the Bear
• Howard Bareham, Co-Founder, Trisonic

In the second session, moderated by Lindsay Lynch, the focus shifted to how brands can expand podcast advertising beyond traditional branding efforts to drive direct response outcomes. Panelists shared insights on how audio ads can connect with niche audiences and deliver measurable results, making audio a valuable tool for performance-based campaigns.

• Case study – Miro’s success in brand awareness: Brandon Lutz from Miro shared their recent experience using audio ads to drive an increase in brand awareness among key decision-makers in UX, marketing, and engineering roles. This case study illustrated how podcasts effectively communicate brand stories to targeted, high-intent audiences without requiring host-read formats.
• Diverse use cases for audio: Panelists discussed how brands can utilize data-driven audio ads for various objectives, from lead generation to customer acquisition. They emphasized the flexibility of programmatic audio to adapt to specific campaign goals, including B2B and B2C contexts.

Panel 3: Digital Audio in the Wider Media Mix

Moderator: Ollie Chadwick, AdsWizz, Regional Director, UK & Ireland, AdsWizz

• Thomas Balaam, Audio Trading Director, Mindshare UK
• Michael Bayston, VP Adtech Solutions, Acast
• Isobel Langley, Head of Agency, GroupM Nexus
• Patrick Dolan, Head of Audio & Display, the7stars

The final session explored how digital audio enhances multi-channel campaigns, with Ollie Chadwick leading a discussion on its role in broader media strategies.

• Audio as an amplifier: Panelists emphasized audio’s role as an amplifier, especially when paired with visual media like connected TV (CTV). The conversation touched on how combining programmatic audio with digital video can result in higher engagement and brand recall.
• Audience-driven strategy: Audio allows brands to reach audiences throughout the day across various touchpoints—whether during a morning jog, while commuting, or as they wind down in the evening. This flexibility makes audio a powerful tool for reaching consumers at different points in their journey.
• A cost-effective channel: With a lower CPM than many visual formats, audio offers a cost-effective way to increase reach and frequency within broader campaigns. This point resonated strongly with attendees, showcasing audio as a valuable channel in an increasingly budget-conscious media landscape.
• Digital audio’s versatility: Digital audio’s adaptability makes it an ideal complement to traditional media, providing unique advantages for brands aiming to diversify their media spend while engaging audiences in more immersive and meaningful ways.

Skip Ahead with AdsWizz

Audio Days London brought together digital audio’s leading voices and highlighted AdsWizz’s role in driving the digital audio industry forward and empowering brands to reach new heights.

Stay tuned for updates on our next Audio Days event, or contact us today if you wish to advance your audio strategy!

by Aimi Knowling, Senior Manager, Sales Marketing

The post Audio Days London Recap appeared first on AdsWizz.

Masterclass – SoundCloud: Play with Music, Empower Fandom, Supercharge Your Brand’s Journey

Frank Kretzschmar, Senior Business Development Director, EU Supply at AdsWizz, and Rohit Agarwal, Chief Product Officer at SoundCloud, discussed the future of audio advertising and outlined how brands can collaborate with both entities to elevate their marketing strategies. 

The Power of the SoundCloud and AdsWizz Partnership

SoundCloud’s ecosystem is vast and inclusive, boasting millions of artists and hundreds of millions of tracks where authentic connections are forged between artists and fans. Through innovative features like commenting on tracks and direct messaging, SoundCloud offers a unique interactive experience that goes beyond passive listening.

AdsWizz partnered with SoundCloud to provide brands with advanced advertising solutions. This union enables advertisers and brands to reach and engage SoundCloud listeners through robust targeting and innovative ad formats.

                                                  Frank Kretzschmar

Case Studies in Audio Advertising

QSR Case Study: ShakeMe Ads

A global fast-food brand sought to increase awareness and engagement for its mobile rewards app in Switzerland. Using AdsWizz’s ShakeMe ad format, they launched motion-activated ads across various publishers, including SoundCloud, to reach different linguistic regions. These ads leveraged users’ physical interactions with their devices, creating a more engaging and memorable experience, uniquely capturing the audience’s attention and serving as a real-time conversion metric.

The results were impressive: over 10,000 interactions and a 92% listen-through rate, with a higher interaction rate on SoundCloud than on other platforms.

Voice Ads Case Study: Lagardère Publicité News & Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Tourisme

Lagardère Publicité News and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Tourisme sought innovative ways to engage users with voice assistants and smart speakers through interactive voice ads. These ads allowed listeners to interact via voice commands, taking personalization to the next level by creating a natural and engaging dialogue between the brand and the audience.

The campaign generated 250,000 impressions in two months, achieving a 97% listener-through rate.

AI Music Beds Case Study: Dunkin’ Donuts, Tito’s Vodka, and Cox

Using AdsWizz’s Sympaphonic Ad technology, these brands created dynamic music sounds that matched the listener’s context. This technology enhances the ad experience by creating contextual music backgrounds that match the listener’s environment, ensuring a seamless transition from content to ad and maintaining a cohesive and immersive listening experience.

The outcome was significant: a 95% decrease in production time, 238% higher engagement, and 5x greater efficiency compared to standard audio tactics.

   
                                                                         Rohit Agarwal     

SoundCloud Insights

Global Reach and Diversity

SoundCloud’s global community is diverse, comprising creators and fans worldwide. This diversity enriches the platform, making it a fertile ground for emerging music trends and cultural movements.

Opportunities for Brands

Brands have a unique opportunity to connect with Gen Z and other influential groups on SoundCloud. By participating in the community, brands can engage with fans and creators, creating meaningful interactions that extend beyond traditional advertising.

Interactive Features

Features like track commenting and direct messaging allow for real-time feedback and communication between artists and fans. These interactions help artists refine their craft and build a loyal fanbase.

Artist Spotlight: Macon

The final treat of this masterclass was an interview with Macon, the most streamed electronic music artist on SoundCloud in 2023. His journey underscores the platform’s role in artist discovery and growth. Macon emphasized the importance of direct feedback from fans through comments, which helps him understand what resonates with his audience and refine his music accordingly. Additionally, insights from SoundCloud’s fan analytics revealed significant fan bases in countries like Australia and the UK, leading to successful tours and collaborations.

  Aimi Knowling (right) sat down with Bianca Stanescu (center) and Ionut Buha (left) for an interview.

Podcast Interview – Live from OMR 2024!

In between sessions and our MasterClass with SoundCloud, I also had the pleasure to sit down with Bianca Stanescu, Director, Product Marketing at AdsWizz, and Ionut Buha, Product Manager for AudioGo & AudioMatic. This session provided an inside look at AdsWizz’s latest developments, strategies, and future plans.

Day One Reflections: Embracing Audio in the Digital Era

Bianca and Ionut expressed their enthusiasm for the event, underscoring the increasing significance of audio in the marketing mix. They discussed how digital tools enhance customer experiences and emphasized audio’s increasingly strategic and measurable role. The first day at OMR showcased the vibrant energy in audio marketing, reaffirming AdsWizz’s influential presence and innovative contributions.

Key Takeaways: AI and Innovation at the Forefront

Both speakers stressed the significance of AI in transforming the industry. Bianca pointed out that AI, once a buzzword, is now a foundational element of digital tools. AdsWizz has long integrated machine learning and AI for forecasting and contextual targeting capabilities. Ionut added that the industry’s current focus on AI and contextual targeting validates AdsWizz’s efforts and motivates the team to push further.

Future Directions: Dynamic Creatives and Programmatic Audio

Ionut unveiled AdsWizz’s focus on Dynamic Creatives and Synthetic Voice Ads that offer novel and advanced capabilities to demand partners and publishers.

On the podcast front, Bianca announced the launch of the Simplecast Professional Tier, which gives podcasters greater transparency and control over listener experience and monetization by combining the power of Simplecast’s content management tools with AdsWizz’s monetization technology. AdsWizz has also enhanced its Programmatic Guaranteed solutions that boost efficiency and provide a seamless campaign management experience.

Roadmap and Second Half of 2024: Automation and Cookieless Future

AdsWizz is dedicated to leveraging automation and AI to streamline processes for agencies and customers. Bianca and Ionut emphasized the company’s open approach, strengthening partnerships with demand-side platforms (DSPs) and first-party data providers while preparing for a cookieless future. Ionut reinforced this commitment, highlighting ongoing innovation and a focus on customer-centric advancements.

Moving Ahead

OMR 2024 was a highly impactful venue for AdsWizz to showcase our innovative audio technologies and strategic partnerships (i.e., SoundCloud). As we move into the second half of 2024, AdsWizz remains steadfast in our commitment to advancing audio technology, enhancing efficiency, and preparing for a cookieless future.

Did you miss us at the event? Contact us today to learn more about our offerings or to schedule a meeting with our team.

by Aimi Knowling, Senior Manager, Sales Marketing

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